Question 85·Easy·Inferences
Bird collisions with skyscraper windows are a leading cause of avian deaths during migration. In Riverhead City, observers noted that most collisions happened on nights when office lights remained on. To test this pattern, researchers conducted a weeklong experiment in which tenants switched off interior lights after 11 P.M. on alternating nights. They recorded an average of 120 collisions on nights when lights stayed on and an average of 45 collisions on nights when lights were turned off. Based on these findings, the researchers would most likely conclude that the most effective immediate step Riverhead City could take to reduce bird collisions during migration is to ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT inference questions about experiments, first identify what was actually changed (the independent variable) and what effect was measured (the dependent variable). Then compare the results for each condition and look for the answer choice that directly restates or logically extends the observed effect, without adding new, untested ideas or going beyond what the data support.
Hints
Focus on the experiment’s change
Identify what variable the researchers changed between different nights. What did tenants do differently on some nights compared with others?
Compare the collision numbers
Look at the average number of collisions when the lights stayed on versus when the lights were turned off. Which condition had fewer collisions?
Match the answer to the evidence
The correct answer should describe an action that is directly supported by the experiment’s results, not bring in new ideas that were never tested.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate what the question is asking
The question asks what immediate step the city could take to reduce bird collisions during migration, based on the experiment’s findings. So the answer must:
- Match what was actually tested in the experiment, and
- Be clearly connected to the change that reduced collisions.
Understand the experimental pattern
In the experiment:
- On nights when lights stayed on, there were about 120 collisions.
- On nights when lights were turned off after 11 P.M., there were about 45 collisions.
This shows that turning off interior lights at night is associated with fewer bird collisions.
Connect the evidence to the recommended action
Because the only change between nights was whether interior lights were on or off, and collisions dropped when lights were off, the most reasonable conclusion is that the city should limit interior lighting in tall buildings at night to reduce collisions. That matches choice C) reduce the amount of interior lighting in tall buildings at night.